Game of skill



0. CHAPMAN.

GAME OF SKILL.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 21. I918.

1,329,291, v Patented Jan. 27, 1920.

INVENTUI I zqwm hyW W,W rhh ATWS OTTO CHAPMAN, 0F MORIDIALLOC, VICTQRIA,AUSTRALIA.

GAME OF SKILL.

Application filed Novemher 2?, 1918.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that l, OTTO CHAPMAY, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, residing at Marchwood, Beach Road, Mordialloc, Victoria,Australia, have invented certain new. and useful Improvements in Gamesof Skill, of which the following is a specification.

Thi invention consists of a game of skill and amusement to be playedeither indoor or out-door. The game consists in drawing a slidingelement, termed herein a runner from one position to another by means ofa traction cord and winding device said action being performed by one ormore batsmen or basemen while the scouting players are chasing a ballstruck by the batsman or baseman.

The game can be played like cricket or baseball or with some of thefeatures of each game, the runner or runners being caused to travelbetween wickets on a straight pitch or between the bases of a diamond.If played on a straight pitch on a table the apparatus, apart from a batand ball consists of winding devices, either arranged at opposite endsof the pitch or at one end, to which devices are respectively connectedthe ends of a traction cord in the length of which is interposed therunner.

By winding the cord on one device it is unwound off the other wherebythe runner will slide along the table in either direction according towhich winder is rotated by hand. According to this game a value isattached to each complete movement of the runner between bases.

Practical forms of the invention are.

depicted in the accompanying drawings whereof Figure 1 is a plan showingthe apparatus in position on a table;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through Fig. 1; r

Fig. 3 is a plan showing a modified arrangement of the apparatus;

Fig. l is an enlarged side elevation of one of the winding devices;

Fig. 5 illustrates in elevation two forms of the runner.

Referring to these drawings each winding device may consist of a reel ordrum 1 erected to rotate on a vertical spindle 2 pro vided on a baseplate 3 which may be weighted to retain its position on the table T, orfixed by clamps 4 to the table or be Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 2?, 192%.

Serial No. 2643-38.

provided with hooks at its outer end to engage the edge of the table topor be fixed by screws to the table.

By preference the opposed ends of the plates are formed with recesses 5which may be termed home bases for the runner 6.

Suitable means such as a crank handle 7 is employed to rotate the drumand the base plate is preferably provided with a shor' standard 8 formedwith a guide eyelet 9., or provided with a pulley, through which thetraction cord 10 passes from one drum to another. The runner 6 may havea wide base and be provided with a ball bearing 11 on its under side asin Fig. 5 to minimize friction with the table.

A suitable design for the runner is a round knob 13 formed with acircular flat base 14 as shown in the left hand side of Fig. 5. It "willbe obvious that the runner may be designed to any desired shape such asthe head and shoulders of a man, and further it may travel from point topoint clear of pitch or ground contact.

The other elements used in the game consist of a bat, club or racket 15and a resilient or-celluloid ball 16, though the hat or the like mightbe dispensed with and the ball struck by hand.

Furthermore if desired the apparatus may comprise an adjustablehorizontal bar 17 supported upon standards 18 under which bar the ballis delivered to the batsman as in Fig. 2.

The g m m y be played somewhat on the combined lines of cricket andbaseball and as an illustration a player stands near each device bothbeing on the same side and one being the batsman. Opposing players scoutexcept one who bowls along the pitch position of the table at thebatsman and when the ball is struck the batsman or his copartneraccording to the home base position of the runner 6 at the time,endeavors by quickly operating one of the winders to move the runnerfrom one home base 5 to the other in order to score a run or point. lheobj ct of the opponents is to strike the runner with the ball while saidrunner is between the home bases in which case the batsman is out andanother takes his turn till the side is disposed of.

In the arrangement according to 3 the winding devices 1, 1, are providedon one base at one end of the pitch and the cord passes around pulleysor through eyelets formed in short standards 19 on a ba e at the otherend of the pitch. fVith this arrangement either the batsman or hiscopartner operate the runner. Furthermore two runners may be used andcaused to slide in opposite directions in which case the Winding devicesare duplicated.

It Will be readily understood that the rules of the might vary considrably,

the essential elements of the invention being the Winding devices withthe cord and runner and the raised horizontal bar 17 it required. Thisbar may be supported on the standards by being simply slipped throughholes 20 in said standards WlliCll are placed the des' "ed distanceapart and are provided with suitable bases 21 to maintain them inupright position on the table.

When this horizontal bar is used it is placed in suitable positionacross the pitch and the bowler must pitch the ball on the table so asto make it bounce under the bar Without touching same, the rulesinvolving penalties to the pitcher for unskili'ul bOWling.

It will be evident that by adjusting the height of the bar on itsstandards that the amount of skill necessary to play the game can bevaried.

The standards supporting the bar might be lined to the surface of thetable or attached by clips to the edge thereof and the bar might besupported on pegs, hooks or the like on the standards.

In lieu of the horizontal bar or in conjunction therewith a flat board22 may be placed in suitable position across the pitch upon which boardthe pitcher must bounce the ball before same reaches the batsman.

1. in a game of skill of the kind set forth two rotatable Winding drumsarranged at some distance apart from each. other, a single cord line oneend of which is attached to one of said drun s and the other end o1which is attached to the other drum, and a runner attached to said cord.

2. In a game of skill apparatus consisting of two rotatable Windingdrums mounted on vertical spindles, base plates for said spindles, acord connected at its respective ends to said rotatable drums, and arunner attached to said cord, said plates beingprovided with guides forthe cord and formed with recesses to receive the runner.

In testimony whereof I have allixed my signature.

OTTO CHAPMAN.

